Top 10: Big Mouths In Sports

Number 2

John McEnroe

McEnroe’s name is synonymous with tennis. McEnroe was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999 and was widely considered one of the best players ever to pick up a racket. He holds 77 singles titles. Unfortunately for John, his name is also synonymous with a “loud mouth.” SuperBrat repeatedly got into trouble on the court with his profanity and argumentative nature with linesmen, and he was nearly kicked out of Wimbeldon in 1981 for cursing at the tournament referee and calling Ted James, the umpire, the "pits of the world."

Brutal sound bite: Most of what McEnroe spewed is not fit for print, but his most cringe-worthy tirade came in that same 1981 Wimbledon stint. During his match with Bjorn Borg, McEnroe argued against a linesman call and began with his famous phrase, "You cannot be serious... " and ended with a string of profanity that is speculated to have cost him the match.

Number 1

Charles Barkley

Barkley had a prolific career in the NBA. Sir Charles was the NBA MVP in 1993, was named to the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. His tenacity on the court was undeniable, but he was equally tenacious when he opened his mouth, particularly after his playing days were finished.

The former player for the Suns and Rockets has never curbed or diluted his comments to be politically correct. He once lamented about throwing Rick Rielly through a plateglass window, and was quoted as saying, “The Republicans are full of it," and “The Democrats are less full of it." He even regretted throwing a man through a window at a restaurant in Orlando because he wasn't on a "higher floor." He also attempted to alienate, well, everyone by saying, "I don't care what people think. People are stupid."

Brutal sound bite: Barkley shocked a nation when he appeared in a Nike ad and inexcusably uttered, "I am not a role model." The firestorm that ensued was unprecedented.

honorable mention

Muhammad Ali

You can't have a list of big mouths without mentioning the ultimate one. Ali does not share the same characteristics as the others on this list, but he is included because of his unparalleled brashness. Ali was a tireless self-promoter, and claimed that his boxing style was to "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Ali had countless memorable and brash quotes, the most famous of which is part of his self-promotion: "I am the greatest!"

trash talkers

Some athletes quietly go about their business, while the ones on this list have been anything but quiet. It's commonplace to hear athletes do some talking, but the ones on this list seem to constantly cross the line and set themselves up for the wrong kind of media attention. If nothing else, the outlandish remarks made by these athletes make for some excellent debate.